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Directors and Officers Questionnaire

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DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS QUESTIONNAIRE

This Directors and Officers Questionnaire (the Questionnaire) is made effective as of Date: by and between Company Name: and Respondent Name: .

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Company requires certain information from its directors and officers to evaluate eligibility for service, to satisfy corporate governance and insurance underwriting requirements, and to comply with applicable laws and contractual obligations; and

WHEREAS, the Respondent has been requested to provide complete and accurate information concerning personal, professional and legal matters that may affect the Respondent's service as a director or officer of the Company; and

WHEREAS, the Company and the Respondent intend that the information supplied in this Questionnaire be relied upon by the Company, its board of directors, outside counsel, and insurers.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

1. INSTRUCTIONS

1.1 Complete every question fully and accurately. If a question is not applicable, state "N/A." If additional space is required, attach and label supplementary pages and identify the section and question number referenced.

1.2 The Respondent certifies that the Company may rely on the statements made in this Questionnaire for corporate records, insurance applications, regulatory filings, and other governance purposes.

2. PERSONAL INFORMATION

Date of birth:   Country of citizenship:

3. CURRENT POSITIONS

4. EMPLOYMENT AND BUSINESS HISTORY

List all positions held during the last ten (10) years, including employer name, title, dates of service, and reason for departure. Attach additional pages if necessary.

5. BOARD AND COMMITTEE SERVICE

Provide details of any board or committee service in the past five years. Indicate whether such entities are public, private, non-profit or governmental.

6. LEGAL, REGULATORY AND FINANCIAL MATTERS

For each of the matters below, check "Yes" if applicable and provide a full explanation including dates, jurisdictions, parties, and current status.

a) Have you been the subject of any criminal conviction, plea, or deferred prosecution?   Yes   No

b) Have you been a party to any litigation, regulatory proceeding, administrative action, or enforcement investigation that is material to your service?   Yes   No

c) Have you ever filed for bankruptcy or been an officer, director or owner of an entity that filed for bankruptcy?   Yes   No

7. SECURITIES, DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS AND MARKET CONDUCT

a) Have you ever been subject to any disciplinary action by a securities exchange, self-regulatory organization, professional licensing board, or similar body?   Yes   No

b) Have you engaged in any trading or other transactions that may raise a conflict with fiduciary duties to any company you serve?   Yes   No

8. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST; RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

8.1 Do you, or any immediate family member, have any material business or financial relationship with the Company, its affiliates, suppliers, customers or competitors?   Yes   No

8.2 Do you have any family members or close personal relations who are employed by or have material business dealings with the Company?   Yes   No

9. INSURANCE, INDEMNIFICATION, AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

9.1 The Respondent acknowledges that the Company may provide indemnification and directors and officers liability insurance subject to the Company’s governing documents, applicable law, and insurance policy terms. The Respondent agrees to provide additional information reasonably requested to procure or maintain such coverage.

9.2 The Respondent authorizes the Company and its agents to make inquiries and obtain background, credit and public record information necessary to verify the information provided herein.

10. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND CERTIFICATION

10.1 The Respondent represents and warrants that all information provided in this Questionnaire is true, complete and correct to the best of the Respondent’s knowledge and belief as of the date hereof. The Respondent acknowledges that any material misstatement or omission may constitute cause for removal, termination of service, or other action by the Company.

10.2 The Respondent agrees to promptly notify the Company in writing of any change in circumstances or any event that would render any answer provided herein inaccurate or incomplete.

11. NOTICES

Notices given under this Questionnaire shall be in writing and shall be effective upon delivery to the addresses provided above.

12. AMENDMENTS; WAIVER; COUNTERPARTS

12.1 Any amendment to this Questionnaire shall be in writing and executed by both parties. No failure or delay in exercising any right shall operate as a waiver thereof.

12.2 This Questionnaire may be executed in counterparts and may be delivered by electronic transmission; each counterpart shall be deemed an original and all counterparts together shall constitute one instrument.

13. GOVERNING LAW; ENTIRE AGREEMENT; SEVERABILITY

13.1 Governing Law: This Questionnaire shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which the Company is organized, without regard to conflict of law principles.

13.2 Entire Agreement: This Questionnaire constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to its subject matter and supersedes all prior discussions, understandings and agreements concerning the matters addressed herein.

13.3 Severability: If any provision of this Questionnaire is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect and shall be construed to effectuate the intent of the parties as reflected herein.

14. MISCELLANEOUS

The Respondent acknowledges receipt of the Company’s code of conduct and any governance materials provided in connection with board or officer duties, and agrees to comply with the same to the extent applicable.

By signing below, the Respondent certifies under penalty of perjury that the foregoing statements are true and complete to the best of the Respondent's knowledge and belief.

Respondent:

By:

Date:

For Company:

By:

Date:

Enter text✕

What the Directors and Officers Questionnaire Is

The Directors and Officers Questionnaire is a standardized corporate form used to collect background, financial, and disclosure information from current or prospective board members and executive officers. It documents employment history, compensation, conflicts of interest, litigation and regulatory encounters, securities holdings, and insurance coverage details. Companies use the questionnaire during board onboarding, M&A diligence, insurance underwriting for D&O policies, and annual compliance reviews. Proper completion supports governance, risk assessment, and accurate disclosures to insurers, auditors, and regulators while creating an audit trail for future reference.

Why a Complete Questionnaire Matters

A Directors and Officers Questionnaire centralizes disclosures that underlie board governance, D&O underwriting, and regulatory compliance. It reduces information gaps, speeds due diligence, and supports accurate insurance and proxy disclosures while establishing a documented record for internal and external reviewers.

Why a Complete Questionnaire Matters

Who Typically Prepares and Uses This Questionnaire

Typical users include corporate secretaries, general counsel, risk officers, insurers, and prospective directors and HR.

  • Corporate secretary and general counsel manage collection and recordkeeping for board candidates and sitting directors.
  • Risk managers and compliance teams analyze answers to identify conflicts, regulatory risk, and insurance requirements.
  • Underwriters and brokers request detailed questionnaires when evaluating D&O exposures and pricing policies.

Use this questionnaire to standardize vetting, fulfill insurer requests, and document disclosures for audits and board records.

Step-by-step: Complete the Questionnaire Accurately

Follow this sequence to complete and review a Directors and Officers Questionnaire accurately and consistently.

  • 01
    Prepare Form: Gather IDs, employment records, and prior disclosure documents.
  • 02
    Complete Sections: Enter factual responses; avoid ambiguous or abbreviated entries.
  • 03
    Attach Evidence: Attach supporting documents for litigation, judgments, or regulatory matters.
  • 04
    Review & Sign: Legal review, board approval, and dated signatures required.

Core sections every Questionnaire should include

A thorough Directors and Officers Questionnaire includes identity, employment history, litigation disclosures, securities holdings, insurance data, and certifications for conflicts and compliance.

Identity

Collect full legal name, aliases, date of birth, and government ID details. Accurate identifiers are essential for background checks, sanctions screening, and insurer identity-proofing procedures.

Employment

Document current and prior employer names, titles, dates of service, and material responsibilities. Discrepancies can trigger further investigation during diligence or underwriting and reference contacts.

Litigation

List pending and prior lawsuits, regulatory investigations, settlements, and judgments with dates and case numbers. Full disclosure prevents surprise underwriting exclusions or coverage disputes later.

Securities

Disclose direct and indirect securities holdings, option grants, vesting schedules, and trading activities. This information supports insider trading, conflict analysis, and disclosure obligations to regulators.

Insurance

Provide current D&O policy limits, carriers, retention amounts, loss history, and prior claims. Accurate insurance histories affect renewal terms and retroactive coverage determinations and endorsements.

Certifications

Include signer attestations for accuracy, disclosure of conflicts, and consent to background checks. Misstatements can void coverage or trigger indemnity obligations and lead to civil penalties.

How to configure an electronic review and signature workflow

Configure an electronic workflow to collect signatures, route to reviewers, and maintain audit logs for compliance and insurer requirements.

Workflow Field Name and Purpose How to set this field in the workflow for routing and validation.
Signer Authentication Method (type and level) Email link, SMS code, or KBA per risk profile.
Document Fields and Validation Rules Use required fields, conditional display, and format checks.
Reviewer Routing and Approvals Steps Sequential or parallel reviewer paths with notification settings.
Audit Trail and Retention Settings Store timestamps, IP, and event logs for compliance.

Typical submission and processing flow

This routing diagram shows submission, review, endorsement, and final archiving steps for the questionnaire across stakeholders.

  • Submit: Upload questionnaire to secure portal.
  • Verify: Conduct identity and document checks.
  • Review: Legal and insurance reviews performed.
  • Archive: Store signed copy with audit trail.

Platform capabilities to look for when managing questionnaires

Platforms should support secure upload, role-based access, notarization options, and audit trails for Director and Officer disclosures.

  • Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace, and Box.
  • Formats: PDF, DOCX, and Excel supported.
  • Authentication: Email, SMS, SSO, or advanced methods.

Security and compliance essentials for questionnaire handling

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit; AES-256 at rest.
Certifications: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, PCI DSS.
Privacy: GDPR and CCPA compliance.
HIPAA: BAA available; PHI protections.
Audit Trail: Detailed timestamps, IP, and events.
Accessibility: WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliant.

Principal risks from incorrect or late questionnaires

Incorrect Disclosure: Coverage denial or rescission.
Late Filing: Regulatory fines or penalties.
Missing TIN: Backup withholding at 24%.
I-9 Noncompliance: Civil fines per violation.
Insurance Pricing: Higher premiums or exclusions.
Reputational Risk: Board scrutiny and investor concern.

Common preparation mistakes to avoid

  • Incomplete histories omit past employment or regulatory interactions, which can cause insurers to request supplemental information or delay coverage decisions.
  • Ambiguous language or vague entries about compensation and benefits can produce underwriting uncertainty and mismatches with payroll records.
  • Failure to attach supporting documents for litigation or judgments often leads to follow-up requests and prolongs due diligence timelines.
  • Using inconsistent name formats across records increases the risk of identity mismatches during background checks and policy underwriting.

Timing considerations and typical deadlines

Key timing considerations for issuing, updating, and filing Directors and Officers Questionnaires with stakeholders and insurers.

Onboarding Requirement for New Directors:

Complete before initial board meeting or within 30 days.

Annual Refresh or Policy Renewal:

Conduct yearly updates or when material changes occur.

Insurance Renewal and Underwriting Cycles:

Provide up-to-date questionnaire at each renewal request.

Event-Triggered Update Obligations for Directors:

Report material litigation, indictment, or regulatory inquiry promptly.

Retention and Access During Audits:

Ensure signed copies are retrievable for auditors and insurers.

Baseline pricing and feature overview for eSignature providers

Compare baseline plans and feature availability when selecting an eSignature provider for Directors and Officers Questionnaire workflows and insurer interactions.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial Yes, 7-day trial Varies by vendor Varies by vendor Varies by vendor Varies by vendor
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No
Envelope Cap No cap 100 envelopes/user/year Varies Varies Varies

Frequently asked questions about completion and e-signing

Answers to frequent questions about completing, signing, and submitting a Directors and Officers Questionnaire, including legal and technical points.


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